Southern California -- this just in

More Cal State, UC student fee hikes are possible

October 30, 2010 | 2:02
pm

California's two public university systems are expected to seek student fee increases next month to help pay for rising costs inside and outside the classroom that a recent boost in state funding didn't fully cover, officials said.

California State University on Friday proposed a two-step increase that would raise undergraduate fees 5% — or $105 — for the rest of this school year and an additional 10% — or about $440 — for next year. If the plan is approved by the Board of Trustees in early November, basic full-time undergraduate tuition next year would rise to $4,884, plus campus fees that average about $1,000.

University of California administrators said they will not ask for a midyear increase; rather they are discussing how large one should be for the next academic year. Several higher education experts said it was likely that UC would propose a fall fee increase for undergraduates of 7% to 10%, or about $700 to $1,000. UC regents are expected to vote on an increase in mid-November.

The proposals come on top of stiff fee increases in the last two years at both systems and, if realized, will make it even more difficult for some to afford college, many students and parents said.